Western women open season with loss to Humboldt State

Three-point shooting was the difference as the Western Washington University women’s basketball team opened its season with a 98-88 loss to Humboldt State on Friday, Nov. 14, in first-day action at the Sodexo Tipoff Classic at Seattle Pacific University.

The Vikings, ranked No. 21 in the USA Today Sports Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, made just 5 of 17 treys, 29.4 percent. Meanwhile, Humboldt State connected on 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc for 56.5 percent.

Never miss a local story.

WWU led 11-4 after the first five minutes and held a 44-42 advantage at halftime, but HSU opened the second half with a 12-4 run in the first four minutes to go in front, 54-48, and stretched that lead to as many as 13 with 5:24 remaining.

The Vikings scrambled back to within four, 87-83, with two minutes left. But HSU closed the game with an 11-5 run, making seven free throws during that stretch.

The setback snapped a WWU string of six straight season-opening victories.